The Spice Trance Experience
by Addict666
Summary: Based aproxx. 100yrs before the book Dune. Scientist studies spice.


10043 , Dune, pre- Arrakkis, Rakkis  
  
  
  
  
  
ORDERS (mentat dispatch.)  
  
Imperial Anthropolgist, Hallard Atredies, homeworld Caladin and distant cousin to Duke Atredies, trained mentat, doctorate in Anthropology is hereby sanctioned by The Emperor Shaddam the II, ruler of the known universe to transverse space via the Spacing Guild to the desert planet Dune, home of the giant sand worm and conduct the Royal Cultrural Survey.  
  
  
KNOW A MENTAT FROM HIS RED STAINED LIPS, FROM THE JUICE OF SAPHU.  
  
Hallard Atredies exited the shuttle-pod that brought him down from the orbiting heighliner Guild ship. The dry desert air of this planet stung his nostils. He smelled the spice, powerful more concentrated than he had encountered before. Hallard stood still for a moment and enjoyed the sensation of the pungent cinnimon breeze tossling his hair.  
He was clearly Atredies, the hawk nose, slender and wiry frame, a classic mold of the patriarchal royal family of Caladin. Red stains surronded his mouth dipping at the corners. His eyes were sharp and focused his mentat computer mind constantly scanned the enviroment and absorbed raw data.  
  
A Bene gesserit sister approached him " Welcome, Imperial Anthropologist Atredies, welcome to Dune."  
  
* * * * * * * *  
THE SPICE IS ESSENTIAL FOR SPACE TRAVEL  
* * * * *  
  
Sister Monet Kern had arrived over an hour before the Imperial spy arrived. She fingered the gom-jabbar under her black robes. The Barron had expressed his desire for Dr Atredies to die at the first opportunity.  
She had to where a still-suit under her robes here at the edge of the city just inside the stone barrier wall. She drew reclaimed moisture from the catch tube to lubricate her throat. Her training and conditioning from the sister hood gave her the strength to bear the high desert sun. She was able to control many of her involuntary body functions. The Anthropologist wouldn't have the constitution to make it out here long. She slightly smiled maybe this was how she would assasinate him.  
  
Dune was controlled by The Harkonnons, exploited, mined for spice.  
But what they took the desert would take back. Sandstorms or sand worms constantly attacked harvesters and anything else making a regular vibration. The Baron could live with the deaths considering the unfathomable profit. Harkonons, historically, were never afraid to spill blood.  
  
The sister often acted as a surgical instrument of death for the Harkonnons. She would weed out upstarts and any threat to the Barron. It was rumored that she was his concubine and that they would stay up together late at night and dissect prisoners in a sexual ritual.  
The Benegesserit were well versed in the sensual ways, often using them to gain leverage. Another slight smile managed to make it through her stone facade, she thought about seducing this Attredies and then strangling him with his own small intestines.  
  
* * * *  
  
WALK WITHOUT RHYTHM AND YOU WONT ATTRACT THE WORM  
* * * *  
  
Dr. Atredies journal. Today I arrived on Dune, I was greated by a pleasant sister of House Harkonnon. Due to trouble our two families have experienced in the past I opted to forego touring the city and meeting the ruling house members. The sister seemed to want me to go with her into the city but I declined. I plan on getting right to work and getting to know the people of Dune.  
  
The best way to do that was to get right to the field of research. I rented a room in a poor Fremen Inn on the outskirts of the city. Below is a tavern where music from a pucked stringed instrument infiltrates the night. I fill my belly with spice beer and slowly try to engage my self in conversation with the locals. They have blue within blue eyes a characteristic of spice addiction. If I stay here long enough my eyes too may become like that.   
My mission is simple: Analyze the natives of Dune to find any special resourses this spice capitol may offer the Empire. The spice mellange only can be found on Dune but what else might this desert planet offer.  
  
* * * *  
  
  
"What!" The Baron Harkonean belowed. The Sister Monet Kern reported before him.  
"My lord let me assure you I would have taken his life at the very first chan....... YOU DIDNT TELL ME HE WAS MENTAT!"  
"Quiet woman, Benegeserit Witch, you will not using your witching ways on me today. Go find him. Make sure know one witnesses" She may have been his concubine but The Old Baron's world still ruled supreme as long as he had to be on this planet to oversee spice mining operations. He much prefered his homeworld Gidi Prime but he would not even tolerate an Atredies scum to walk these sands.  
  
  
  
DAY 2. Dune. Imperial Anthropologist Log  
  
Last night had been very fruitful in the tavern, Dr. Atredies had made many contacts already. Today he went to find a fremen guide he had heard about. The walk wasn't far but it seemed even less so when the guide met him on the way.  
He was a direct man, efficient with words and his breath. "You need stillstuit"  
At his home he gave me a rubbery undersuit which clung to my skin he also gave me a large hooded white robe. His wife took my Imperial uniform, offering to clean it for me.  
We left on our trek. The guides name was Alec a fremen with blue in blue eyes and a keen desert sense. I learned much. The suit I wore had pumps in the heels that powered pumps built in to the rubberish suit that captured my sweat and urine. These fluids were filtered and stored in bladders on my thighs and else where on the stillsuit.   
  
  
* * * *  
  
IN THE DESERT WATER IS LIFE  
  
* * * *  
  
The Sister Monet followed the Imperial Anthropologist around the city all day. She disguised herself in fremen robes. She stalked him as he studied the scum of Dune.  
Fremen were not good for much in the Sisters opinion. They often caused more trouble than they were worth. A few had went on to advance in rank as Spice Harvesters but they usually didn't live long with the worms and all. Monet just felt that as a people they lacked the crushed spirit she would have liked. She still had hope though if the Harkonneans could secure the planet they could perform genocide, something the Harkonneans enjoyed very much.  
  
It almost seemed a waste to kill this mentat though. Their special training was valuable and they could be rare in this part of the universe.  
The Baron obviously had a personal agenda here, he was getting so boring. Sister Monet could wait until the day her order came from the SisterHood came to destroy him. At least, thats what she assumed she had been sent here for. The eventually assasinate the Baron and shift the balance of power.  
  
Darkness fell. She knew Doctor Atredies would be in company until later tonight and then she would pay him a visit.  
  
* * *  
  
Alec the fremen guide returned to his home drunk by spicewine. Dr. Atredies went upstairs to his rented room. He began to compose a message on a telegraph-like device, a message that would have to travel all the way to the Imperial  
world.  
Many computer like devices had been outlawed ny the butlerian jihad, the event that caused human to develope thier minds and bodies. The device he used was used in conjunction with a mentat mind sending super fast sequence of clicks across the cosmos.  
  
  
Imperial Anthropologist, Dr. H Atredies. REPORT  
  
The Fremen this planets natural (?) inhabitants are few in number but posses a very strong culture and I suspect an entire religion centered around the giant sand worms, Shui Hallud I believe they call it.  
I must retire now and cut this report short as I am trying to adjust my sleeping schedule to nocturnalize, in true desert fashion.  
  
LONG LIVE EMPORER SHADDAM THE II  
  
* * *  
  
Just as the Doctor sunk on his bed and exhaled the window ever- so -quietly silpped open. A bald headed woman entered the room making no sound. It was Sister Monet wearing only a still suit and carring a poison tipped knife.  
"good" She thought. "Its as good as done now." She knew his blood would flow soon. She crept closer to him.  
  
Suddenly the holographic comm at her wrist flashed to life "Sister Monet Kern" a voice stated clearly.  
Hallard Atredies bolted upright in bed and spun to his feet.  
"What is this!" He demanded. He caught a glimpse of a shadow leaping out the window. He ran to the window and spotted the unrobed sister hitting pavement and darting off. A small detachment of Harkkonean soilders stood there looking dumbfounded.  
  
Sister Monet slid around a corner and planted her back on the sandstone wall. She viewed her comm. The face of a high ranking Reverend Mother of the Sisterhood of Bennegesserit spoke to her.  
"YOU, Sister Monet you are ordered to immediatley conceive a male child, to Barron Bach Harkonnean. "  
"Reverend Mother, I have conflicting orders I cant just."  
"Immediatley child. The Sisterhood knows best, this is important to our breeding program, it is our main function, you will comply"  
"As you wish, I will go now" Sister Monet sighed know she knew her destiny here on Dune. She regretted having to leave in the middle of a job but the soldiers already had there orders. Surely the five of them armed could take out one mentant.   
Now she had to go to the Baron and use the way on him to give her child, most Sisters would be honored to play such an important role in the Bene Gesserit breeding program.  
  
* * * *  
  
Dr. Atredies ran down the stairs and out the front door of the Inn. Sister Monet that had been the one who had greeted him as he arrived. A mentant never forgot a face. What did she want with me , he thought.  
Five Harkonneans stepped out of the shadows, each with an assault weapon. "Well, boys, what are you waiting for, get him." The redheaded leader said.  
Dr. Atredies turned and ran. The Harkoneans gave chase but the Dr. quickly put distance inbetween them again using mentant enhanced speed.  
"He's too fast" One Harkonean said. They opened fire.  
Lasgun fire ripped past the Doctor, he started traveling in a zig zag fasshion keeping low. Not low enough. A shot tore through his shoulder. He gasped then focused all his energy into his legs and sprinted out past the city wall into the desert.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The Deed was done Sister Monet escaped the Barron's greasy embrace and went to wash her body. The Atredies doctor had fled into the desert his death was certain. She decided now would be a good time to return to the Bene Geseritt homeworld. This arid climate would know be good for the pregenacy and the Sisterhood surely wouldn't want the Barron to know about his son until after he was born and mature. Yes, this would tip the power balance in the Bene gesserit favor and complete a rung in the ladder of the superbeing, Kswiwat Hadiack.  
Sister Monet would live a very comfortable life now this was indeed a stroke of luck, she would play apart in their great religion, the creation of Kswi Haderack, the universes superbeing. Sister Monet Kern fathomed the implications of having her own twisted genes in the mix as she boarded the Spacing Guild Ship and traveled through folded space.  
  
  
  
* * * * * *   
  
  
from: Imperialist Science Guide to Spacing Guild.  
  
Navigator: Mutated by the Orange Spice gas, no royal obsever has seen a 3rd stage guild navigator but reports indicate they are extremely mutated. We know they float in a tank of Orange Spice gas using thier minds to fold space time.  
  
  
THE SPICE MUST FLOW  
  
  
  
* * * * * *  
  
  
Dr. Atredies stood directly over a spice patch. Warm cinimon air rose of the desert floor. Four days had passed since he escaped into the desert. His catch tube was empty, his throat burned and he tasted blood. His eyes blurred and he had been hearing voices but was certain no soul would be here with him in this forsaken place. Dying. He fell to his knees. And then the hallocinating began. His mind traveled one of the Harkoneans who shot at him. He flashed though the other man's life, and began to feel great sorrow for him.  
Then he began to see the future. second moonshadow. He saw a war, a holy battle.  
It changes to the worm and the spice, one and the same but different at the same time. He sees Dune change become lush a paradise then revert back to a desert. Hallard sees a tenthousand years of peace and prosperity. And he knows it could have been him, he could have been the messiah. If one or two event would have happen differently but they didn't and they never would. This was the one time line that would occur, the golden path.  
Then his vision changed to his homeworld Caladin and he remembered the aroma of the open ocean.............  
  
  
  
  
  
The fact that the imperial doctor got so deep into the desert would puzzle fremen for generations to come. The guide Alec and a fremen loyal reverend Mother found Hallard Atredies in the desert, he was almost entirely dehydrated. His skin cracked down into red flesh. His life was decimated his last breath a prophecy that would be remembered for eons.  
"One will come a voice from the outer world and bring a holy war, Jihad, to cleanse the universe and bring us out of darkness."  
  
  
omega 2001 


End file.
